Mining stayed in
Dadri, Mahendragarh
Chandigarh, April 4
The Haryana mining department has suffered a setback with the Punjab and Haryana High Court staying the mining operations in the quarries auctioned by the department at Dadri in Bhiwani district and in Mahendragarh district last year.

Industrial estates for Rohtak, Narwana
Chandigarh, April 4
The Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) will develop two new industrial estates in the state. One estate will be at Rohtak and the other at Narwana.

Price Rise
INLD holds statewide protest
Hisar, April 4
A large number of Indian National Lok Dal activists staged a demonstration here today against the rising prices of essential commodities.
INLD activists block traffic in protest against price rise in Hisar on Friday. Tribune photo: P. L. Munday

PGIMS to be made health varsity
Rohtak, April 4
The Pt Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) here will be upgraded as a university of health sciences. This was stated by Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda while addressing a joint 27th conference of the northern chapter of the Association of Surgeons of India and 11th annual conference of the Association of Surgeons of Haryana on the premises of the PGIMS here today.’

Rural women graduates prefer constable job
Chandigarh, April 4
Unmarried women from rural areas of the state belonging to the age group of 21 to 25 years have shown more inclination towards joining the police as constables than their married or urban counterparts.

UP cop, SI held
for kidnap bid
Kurukshetra, April 4
Amid high drama of an alleged bid to kidnap a local rice trader, the police today arrested seven persons, including two policemen from Uttar Pradesh force, from Sector 13 here.

PR staff reshuffled
Chandigarh, April 4
The Haryana government today issued transfer and posting orders of two joint directors, four deputy directors, two district public relations officers and a public relations officer in the department of public relations and cultural affairs with immediate effect. Rajiv Khosla will be joint director, press, and Arun Kumar Johar will be joint director, feedback.

AG’s office clarifies
Chandigarh, April 4
The Haryana accountant-general’s office today clarified that the pension of Beg Raj Goel could not be cleared as the case was sent to the AG’s office without the service book and sanction of the finance department.

State excise policy upheld
Chandigarh, April 4
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today upheld the excise policy of Haryana when it dismissed a writ petition challenging the policy.

Rs 2 lakh looted from car
Yamunanagar, April 4
For the second consecutive day, some unidentified persons smashed the windowpane of the driver’s side of a car and took away Rs 2 lakh lying beneath the seat here today.

772 students get degreesYamunanagar, April 4
It is the best time for empowerment of women. A woman is the fundamental unit of a family and society. Dr Abhai
Maurya, vice-chancellor, the English and Foreign Languages University,
Hyderabad, said this while addressing the 45th annual convocation of DAV Girls College here today. As many as 772 students were awarded degrees.

Chandigarh, April 4
The Haryana mining department has suffered a setback with the Punjab and Haryana High Court staying the mining operations in the quarries auctioned by the department at Dadri in Bhiwani district and in Mahendragarh district last year.

The union government had notified in September 2006 that for all mining operations conducted in areas larger than five hectares, prior environment clearance was a must.

To circumvent this notification, the Haryana government divided the mining area into plots of five hectares and put them to auction for quarrying of sand and stones.

The Tribune had raised the issue last year. However, the government went ahead with the auction.

Meanwhile, a writ petition was filed before the High Court praying that the auction of mining sites of five hectares should be stayed in the interests of environment. However, the court had not stayed the auction. The government earned about Rs 70 crore per annum from the auction of these sites.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vijendra Jain and Justice Jaswant Singh yesterday stayed the mining operations in these sites and fixed May 2 as the next date of hearing.

This year, the department has auctioned mining sites of more than five hectares for five years in certain districts. Since the environment clearance takes at least one year to come, the department auctioned sites of five hectares for one year as a stopgap measure so that the public did not face any shortage of construction material and the state’s revenue also did not suffer.

With the High Court staying the mining operations in sites of five hectares, the fate of the five-hectare sites auctioned this year has also become uncertain.

Chandigarh, April 4
The Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) will develop two new industrial estates in the state. One estate will be at Rohtak and the other at Narwana.

HSIIDC managing director Rajeev Arora said the estate at Rohtak would be developed on the NH-10, while the new estate at Narwana would be on the NH-71. The HSIIDC had already acquired about 152 acres and carved out more than 200 plots of different categories in the industrial estate at Rohtak which was adjacent to the existing industrial development colony. The corporation would provide the basic infrastructure such as roads, water supply, sewerage, drainage and electrification in this industrial estate, he added.

Arora said work on the construction of roads had already been taken up. A piece of land measuring 6 acres had been transferred to the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam for setting up of a 132 kV substation in the area. The HSIIDC would spend Rs 30 crore on various development works in this estate which would be completed within one year. By that time plots would be ready for handing over.

Arora said the corporation would develop an industrial estate at Narwana on 108 acres. The HSIIDC had carved out around 200 plots of various sizes in this estate also for allotment to entrepreneurs under the multi-product category. The total cost of infrastructure development in this estate had been estimated at Rs 15 crore. Work on the construction of roads and sewerage had been completed. The HSIIDC had proposed to construct canal-based waterworks in order to ensure potable water supply to the entrepreneurs of the area as the underground water at Narwana was bad. The irrigation department had already approved the estimate of Rs 1.60 crore for providing 2 cusecs canal water to Narwana from the Sirsa branch. The work of electrification had been taken up and was likely to be completed by August 2008.

Both these industrial estates were being floated for allotment by the corporation shortly. Plots of various sizes ranging from 312.50 sq metres to one acre would be allotted on a freehold basis with a provision for deferred payment.

Hisar, April 4
A large number of Indian National Lok Dal activists staged a demonstration here today against the rising prices of essential commodities.

Carrying placards, the demonstrators denounced the UPA government at the centre in general and the Congress in particular for their failure to check price rise.

They blocked traffic at several crossings in the town before reaching the mini-secretariat where they submitted a memorandum, which was addressed to the Haryana Governor, to the district authorities demanding immediate steps to curb prices. It said the centre had failed to check inflation and the prices of essential commodities, which in some cases had gone up by 200 per cent.

Sultan Singh, a former Governor and senior party leader, said inflation had made life difficult for the common man.

BHIWANI: Expressing concern over the increasing inflation and deteriorating law and order situation in the state, workers of the Indian National Lok Dal staged a demonstration here on Friday and later submitted a memorandum to the Governor through the deputy commissioner.

Earlier, the party workers shouted slogans against the Congress government outside Ch. Devi Lal Bhawan and took out a procession under the headship of Rajya Sabha MP Ajay Singh Chautala. He said the law and order situation was deteriorating.

KAITHAL: Activists of the Indian National Lok Dal on Friday organised a procession against the rising prices and deteriorating law and order situation in the state.

The procession, which started from local Jawahar Park, culminated at the mini-secretariat, where a memorandum addressed to the Haryana Governor was handed over to deputy commissioner Vikas Gupta.

AMBALA: The Ambala unit of the INLD took out a protest rally here on Friday to protest against the price hike. Former finance minister Sampat Singh led the rally.

Later, a memorandum was submitted to City Magistrate Girish Arora, which was addressed to the Governor, Haryana.

KURUKSHETRA: Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) activists, under the leadership of Abhay Chautala, president, Haryana Olympic Association, staged a demonstration in protest against the increasing prices in front of the mini-secretariat here on Friday. A memorandum addressed to the Haryana Governor was submitted to deputy commissioner Pankaj Aggarwal.

Rohtak, April 4
The Pt Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) here will be upgraded as a university of health sciences. This was stated by Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda while addressing a joint 27th conference of the northern chapter of the Association of Surgeons of India and 11th annual conference of the Association of Surgeons of Haryana on the premises of the PGIMS here today.’

The decision to upgrade the PGIMS into a health university will give a big boost to the promotion of medical education and research in the state, Hooda said, adding that it would also help in providing quality health services in critical areas.

The conference was also addressed by the president of the Association of Surgeons of India (ASI), Dr A.A. Hai, the president of the northern chapter of ASI, Dr Kuldeep Singh, the secretary of the NCASI, Dr P.S. Bakshi, the PGIMS director, Prof S.S. Sangwan, and the organising chairman of the conference, Dr R.K. Keshwani.

The Chief Minister urged the surgeons to be more considerate to the needs of the poor and ensure that the benefits of modern medical science and technology are within the reach of the common man.

Hooda said the adoption of innovative maternal and child healthcare strategies had resulted in marked improvement in social health indicators. “The maternal mortality rate (MMR), which stood at 300 per lakh births in 2002, has now reduced to only 142. Similarly, infant mortality rate (IMR) has also declined to 42 per thousand live births from 62 live births in 2002,” he maintained.

Chandigarh, April 4
Unmarried women from rural areas of the state belonging to the age group of 21 to 25 years have shown more inclination towards joining the police as constables than their married or urban counterparts.

As many as 109 of the new recruits are either graduates or postgraduates and only 23 of them are simple matriculates. The Haryana police has recently recruited 292 women constables of which 255 are from rural areas. And interestingly, 215 of these new women constables are unmarried. While 101 of them are in the age group of 21-23 years, another 104 are aged between 23 and 25. The number of women constables older than 25 years of age at the time of recruitment is only 36 and those below 21 years of age are 51.

A study conducted by the Haryana police rebuts many myths that girls in Haryana do not opt for police jobs and only matriculates or plus two pass outs look for jobs in the police. The study also revealed that 17 of the new recruits are postgraduates with nine of them holding diplomas in computer sciences as well.

While only 23 of the 292 women constables are simple matriculates, 92 are graduates. While 63 of them hold a simple BA or BCom degree, 22 have supplemented their educational qualifications with a diploma in computer basic course. Four in the graduate club hold bachelor’s degree in physical education and two have additional certificate in physical education.

Kurukshetra, April 4
Amid high drama of an alleged bid to kidnap a local rice trader, the police today arrested seven persons, including two policemen from Uttar Pradesh force, from Sector 13 here.

Sumer Chand, an assistant sub-inspector of the Kurukshetra police, has also been reportedly put under suspension after he was found in inebriated condition while accompanying the “raiding” police party from UP to “arrest” Gyan Chand Singla, the local trader and president of the Rice Mill Association, without any official permission from local officials.

As the police team was forcibly trying to take Singla away, local residents got hold of the cops and took them to hostage in Singla’s house.

The UP cops have been identified as sub-inspector Murad and constable R.S. Yadav from Hathras in UP.

Kurukshetra SP Amitabh Dhillon was not available for comments. Sources said the UP police did not intimate the Kurukshetra police about their plan to interrogate or arrest Singla in a case.

Singla said he had certain differences with a UP-based trader over the payment of nearly Rs 10-12 lakh, but objected the manner in which the cops acted.

“The cops forcibly tried to bundle me in a vehicle. They even refused to show judicial documents to interrogate or arrest me in some case,” he added.

Accompanied by the complainant trader from Hathras, the UP policemen reached the Singla’s residence at about 5.30 am to “arrest” him in a case. A local cop posted at PCR van also escorted them to Singla’s residence in Sector 13.

It is stated that a complaint was lodged with the Hathras police against Singla over certain financial transaction.

Agitated over the incident of highhandedness, traders and local residents staged a dharna at the city police station alleging that the cops tried to kidnap the trader under the garb of a complaint.

Chandigarh, April 4
The Haryana government today issued transfer and posting orders of two joint directors, four deputy directors, two district public relations officers and a public relations officer in the department of public relations and cultural affairs with immediate effect. Rajiv Khosla will be joint director, press, and Arun Kumar Johar will be joint director, feedback.

Kuldeep Saini has been posted as deputy director, R&R and accreditation work. Raj Pannu, on promotion, has been posted as deputy director, field. Ranbir Singh Dahiya has been posted as public relations officer, Haryana Bhawan, New Delhi. Chander Khan goes as district public relations officer, Mewat at Nuh. Amit Pawar has been posted as district public relations officer, Rewari.

Hisar, April 4
Haryana health secretary Navraj Sandhu today appealed to doctors to uphold professional ethics all their lives.

Addressing the annual convocation of Agroha Medical College, about 20 km from here, she said the involvement of unscrupulous doctors in scams like the notorious kidney racket projected the Indian medical community in international circles poorly. She reminded them that 30 per cent of doctors in the USA were Indians.

Sandhu said doctors also should not shun serving in rural areas. Rather they should volunteer for it to raise the standards of medical facilities in the villages.

The college authorities later asked her to increase the number of seats from 50 to 100 and also allow the college to run B.Sc (nursing) course.

Significantly, Naveen Jindal, Congress MP and chairman of the college governing council, was not present on the occasion. Only two of the 26 members of the executive committee of the governing council were present.

Chandigarh, April 4
The Haryana accountant-general’s office today clarified that the pension of Beg Raj Goel could not be cleared as the case was sent to the AG’s office without the service book and sanction of the finance department.

Responding to a news item published in these columns from Yamunanagar today, the AG’s office said the case was returned to the executive engineer, PWD (public health division No. 1), Yamunanagar, by a registered letter dated March 20, 2006, for obtaining the sanction of the finance department for authorisation of payment in relaxation of normal rules. But the case was still awaited, the deputy accountant-general (pension) said.

Ambala, April 4
The First Air Defence Regiment of the Indian Army - the 19 AD Regiment, is celebrating its diamond jubilee this week.

To commemorate the occasion, a cycle rally was flagged off from the Air Force Station, Adampur, on March 30 by Group Captain P.V. Ambekar, AOC, Air Force Station. The cycle rally, comprising 19 members and led by Lt R.S. Tomar, covered 204 km and met ex-servicemen of their unit on the way and reached Ambala today.

Chandigarh, April 4
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today upheld the excise policy of Haryana when it dismissed a writ petition challenging the policy.

The petition had challenged the provision that licences to open wholesale outlets to sell country liquor (L-13 licences) would be issued to the distilleries but these outlets would be run by persons to be approved by the government.

The Tribune had pointed out that the provision marred the transparency of the excise policy as promised by the Hooda government.

Yamunanagar, April 4
For the second consecutive day, some unidentified persons smashed the windowpane of the driver’s side of a car and took away Rs 2 lakh lying beneath the seat here today.

Yesterday, in a similar incident, a local businessman lost Rs 3 lakh at Mela Singh Chowk. The two incidents in a row has created panic among businessmen. The modus operandi in the incidents was almost identical.

The victim, Nem Chand Jain, a resident of Buria, parked his car near ESI hospital on the railway road here and went inside a shop. Coming out after five minutes, he found the windowpane smashed and the money missing. Jain is a shopkeeper.